From Cup Champion To Rock Star

Summary:

Kurt Busch gets pulled over in Phoenix for running a stop sign and reckless driving. Officer smells alcohol. Kurt refuses a field sobriety test. He is verbally abusive.
They take him to Phoenix International Raceway and the Breath Test machine fails. Busch is given a ticket for reckless driving. Come Sunday he is no longer employed with Roush Racing.

My Take:

I’m not sure I’m buying the not-alcohol-related spin that Busch is putting on this. Obviously, I have no way of really knowing. But, as a NASCAR fan who ‘sits on his couch pointing fingers’ at NASCAR drivers, I’m all about speculation.

I think that money (well, maybe influence and pressure) saved Busch from more than a reckless driving ticket. Maybe it was borderline. Maybe they cut him some slack. But the Breath Test Machine failed? Right. And why is Penske talking about going back and helping the community (service) out?

And what about his release from Roush? The Cat-In-The-Hat shows his mean side. Roush letting Kurt go was a personal vindication against Busch for going to the #2. Being able to air comments like ‘He is not our problem any longer’ is mean spirited and I guess part of the business of ‘Big Business’. Of course, Jack is still grouchy over the whole team driver cap thing.

So, how about a show of hands.

What do you think?

Alcohol related?

Is this ‘just’ vindication for Roush?

More stuff to consider…Marc of Full Throttle (the smartest guy in NASCAR blogging) has a good write-up, discussion and points to 2 interesting articles on the the local’s opinion of “Sheriff Joe”.

Even more to consider… Darn, I hate when I go and jump to conclusions only to be proven wrong. A little slow in coming is the fact that Kurt Busch wasn’t intoxicated. I guess that we may never know if Kurt is a ‘mean drunk’. Turns out he is just a ‘mean buzzed’.”